The Jozi Stars cruised to a convincing 53-run victory over the Durban Heat, thanks to a commanding century from Reeza Hendricks and a sensational 4-27 from Kagiso Rabada.
After being inserted into bat first, the Stars raced to 56-0 within the powerplay overs. Reeza Hendricks and Ryan Rickelton raised their 50-run opening stand off only 34 balls as both batsmen looked to take the attack to the bowlers.
Heat captain Albie Morkel decided to put himself into the attack – after having exhausted all his bowling options – and immediately made an impact. He broke the destructive partnership on 99 runs in the 11th over by dismissing Rickelton with his first ball after a well-played 45 off 33 balls, including three fours and two sixes. Surprisingly, Morkel only bowled the one over, conceding just three runs.
Hendricks continued the charge as he hit nine fours and six sensational sixes on his way to becoming the Mzansi Super League’s first centurion – needing just 49 deliveries to reach the landmark. His 104 not out off 51 balls powered the Stars to the MSL’s record-highest score of 230-3 in their allotted overs, much to the delight of the home crowd.
The decibels increased inside the Bullring as Kagiso Rabada came steaming in for the first over of the second innings. The fast bowler ripped through the Heat’s top order by dismissing Hashim Amla, Keshav Maharaj and finally Heinrich Klaasen, all within the first over. Klaasen’s was the pick of the three wickets as Rabada smashed his middle stump with a beautiful yorker to dismiss his Proteas teammate for a golden duck.
Morne van Wyk was the pick of the Heat batsmen as he held up one end while he watched wickets falling regularly on the other. After the calamitous start, David Miller joined Van Wyk at the crease and the two put together a quickfire 63-run partnership that gave some hope to the visitors, before Miller was dismissed on 30 off 17 balls (4×5, 1×6).
The wickets continued to fall regularly and the writing was on the wall for the Heat when their captain Morkel lost his off stump to the brilliant bowling of Simon Harmer for the second golden duck of the innings.
Van Wyk continued to bat with the lower order and would have been disappointed to lose his wicket in the 13th over after an explosive 66 off 33 balls that included three fours and six blistering sixes.
The Heat’s innings petered out to a disappointing 177 all out as they suffered a 53-run loss that keeps them rooted to the bottom of the log table.
Photo: Lee Warren/Gallo Images
